Rooster drama

[robyn8]

Oh and someone asked about their relative sizes. She's an average to slightly large buff Orpington. He's a buff Orpington silkie mix and is about the same size as her body wise maybe a little taller.

 

[centrarchid]

I would isolate her from flock for a few days to allow reconditioning. The roughness of the cockerel may also have an aggression component to it that she is not currently able to handle. Generally I do not allow the 5 month old males to have access to hens like that unless a mature rooster is present. You could just as easily pen him instead. Current behavior he has likely has no bearing on how he will be when mature.

 

[Zoomie]

My own personal opinion: I'd set up a nice chicken dinner with the cockerel as the star attraction.

My feeling is, there are just tons of roosters out there. Every time I go to the feed store or check Craigslist, I see spare roosters offered, many times for free and some if not most would probably make a fantastic animal to have. So, for me personally, I would not spend time trying to see if the cockerel will figure out how to behave. I would simply get rid of him and try another. I know some people would not do it, and if you had some very expensive purebred cockerel it might change my mind, but that is just what I would do.

 

[centrarchid]

My own personal opinion: I'd set up a nice chicken dinner with the cockerel as the star attraction.

My feeling is, there are just tons of roosters out there. Every time I go to the feed store or check Craigslist, I see spare roosters offered, many times for free and some if not most would probably make a fantastic animal to have. So, for me personally, I would not spend time trying to see if the cockerel will figure out how to behave. I would simply get rid of him and try another. I know some people would not do it, and if you had some very expensive purebred cockerel it might change my mind, but that is just what I would do.

Good sound bite, but provides no insight into behaviors that are likely a function of unnatural social structures imposed out of convenience.

 

[robyn8]

I have her in a dog kennel in the coop right now so she can recover in peace. So generally speaking do most people keep the cockerels separate till they are older? If so how old? My big hens are over a year old and previously had a rooster they liked and would let mate but he was too aggressive with my kids so we rehomed him. Till what age would you keep the cockerel separate? And would you keep him in his own living space alone? Just trying to figure out the logistics here. We have a good size coop with a 4 ft dog kennel in it that we use for injuries or broody hens. Seems like not a great living situation long term though for the cockerel.

 

[sawilliams]

If you can seperate him close to the run, a side by side set up can be ideal. Of course you don't want to let her back to the flock untill the wounds are healed. But limiting his direct access to the girls might give him time to clam down. And only let him in with the hens (or freerange) towards evening when you can supervise his visits. I say evening becuase there is less time before the go to roost meaning less time you have to wait before locking him back up. If it continues even once they are all more adjusted deffinatly get rid of him. But bear in mind, you said 3 hens and 5 pullets, though the pullets might by close to or already laying eggs he might not be mating then yet. 3 hens is not enough for a rooster, he might do better once all 8 are mature but even then you said something about 2 of the pullets maybe being roosters also? Your rooster deffinatly need some time to mature and possibly a larger flock of hens before he's ready

 

[JedJackson]

View attachment 1144251 View attachment 1144252 View attachment 1144253 View attachment 1144254 View attachment 1144255 View attachment 1144256 Here are some pics. I have triple antibiotic on the wounds so that's why they are shiney. She's lost some feathers too.

That looks pretty bad. I wonder how the cockerel in question is behaving toward the other ladies? It seems odd that he would be that way with one hen and not the others. I would definitely monitor the flock closely and if this continues he probably needs to go.

 

[robyn8]

Just to clarify the numbers. We have 13 total chickens. 3 mature hens, 5 5 mos old pullets one which is laying the others look close, 1 5 mos old cockerel, and 4 chicks about 10 weeks old. Of the chicks I think 2 are pullets and 2 are cocks. So I think when all is said and done we'll have 10 ladies and 3 boys. That's why I'm wondering if we should just cull this one seeing as though we'll end up with too many boys in a few months anyways. And the cockerel is mounting the 5 mos old pullets. They don't all seem to be ok with it they have no injuries or missing feathers. I really think he's picking on this one for some reason. Maybe she's just an easier target. She squats quickly and stays still so it's not like she fighting him and he need to be rougher with her. And he was definitely pecking her and not just holding onto her feathers.

 

[sawilliams]

I have her in a dog kennel in the coop right now so she can recover in peace. So generally speaking do most people keep the cockerels separate till they are older? If so how old? My big hens are over a year old and previously had a rooster they liked and would let mate but he was too aggressive with my kids so we rehomed him. Till what age would you keep the cockerel separate? And would you keep him in his own living space alone? Just trying to figure out the logistics here. We have a good size coop with a 4 ft dog kennel in it that we use for injuries or broody hens. Seems like not a great living situation long term though for the cockerel.

How long depends on you... give him a time line if his behavoir doesn't improve then "off with his head" (so to speak) of course I'm implying rehome if needed.

 

[sdm111]

He's prolly "picking" on her cause she's not submissive and I would give him time to mature. Alot of young males are rough and rougher to a nonsubmissive hen. Immediate answer is cull, cull, cull I have multiple pairs and sometimes I have to wait a yr and a half or so before I can pair them with a hen. If I culled all aggressive stags I'd never be able to breed lol.